Michael Newlyn Blake

Computer Whisperer

Scarves: Timbers Army Reserve

The Story

I am a fan of the Portland Timbers, a USL division 1 soccer team based inPortland, Oregon. Personally, I don't sit in the North End with the TimbersArmy. I find the wall of sound somewhat disorienting. And standing for thatlong just bothers my knee. So, I don't know if I could ever really considermyself part of the Timbers Army but I do appreciate what they do to supportthe team and the community.

One day, while sitting out on the West End of PGE Park with the rest of themore quiet/reserved fans, I found myself thinking: There guys need scarves.Something that reflects the fact that we are Timbers fans, despite our morereserved appearance and tendency to only get vocal or noticably demonstrativewhen something big happens. Timbers Army Reserve! So, I made a scarf.

Traditionally, scarves have been distributed in person and at cost amongmembers or supporters of the Timbers Army. It's almost a right ofpassage with the Timbers Army: Either getting involved with the fancommunity and being in the right place at the right time to sponsora run of scarves, or tracking down a member of the TA who has andbuying a scarf from them. You know, actually working for it.(This is mainly in referenceto the famous "NO PITY" scarf). Unfortunately, the fans I've been trying toreach with these scarves don't tend to hang out in the same places at theTimbers Army. Indeed, they don't really tend to gather ANYWHERE except theballpark and I gather it's a bit of a no-no to sell stuff there, evenat-cost fan scarves.

Some members of the Timbers Army have stepped up and supported me bypurchasing some of these scarves and I tryly do appreciate it. So far Ihave managed to unload about 1/3 of the 150 minimum order from SportsScarf.

A few things I want to be clear on:

I am not making any profit off of this. If I have taken in more than myoriginal cost once all of the scarves are unloaded, I will turn the extraover to the Timbers Army for their TIFO fund.

This is a FAN project. As far as I am concerned, I am a conduitthrough which multiple fans are pitching in to have these scarvescreated. You're not buying a scarf from me, you're simply buying intoa fan collective fan project.

I have put my own money on the line to initiate this project. Ifthere is unsufficient interest in these scarves, it is me who willeat the cost of the extras. If I seem a little pushy or desperate attimes it's not because I'm trying to make a buck but because I'm tryingat least limit the damages when this is all over.

Getting them

You Can't

Sorry, they're all gone. I might do another run next season, either ofthis scarf or some other design, but these are all gone.